What if Steven Sondheim had written the Christmas tune “Santa Claus is Coming to Town?” What if Jerry Herman had penned “We Three Kings?” What if Fred Ebb had penned the lyrics to “I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus?” The timeworn term “merry and gay” would no doubt have a fabulous, friskier new meaning during the Holiday Season.
But don’t take my word for it. See and hear for yourself when the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus (BGMC) presents Noel, our annual holiday concert extravaganza on Dec. 14, 19, 20 and 21. We’ll sing traditional holiday carols like “Deck the Hall,” “Star of Wonder,” and “Festival Gloria” along with our own re-imaginings of some old Christmas favorites that we call the “What-if Carols.” With these songs, BGMC is doing what it does best: we’re telling the story of our community, and we’re enjoying the holidays from our unique and distinctly gay point of view.
Noel promises to be BGMC’s most theatrical concert ever. In Act I we’ll literally “Deck the Hall”―New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall, that is―with festive accessories and kindle your holiday spirit with classic carols like “Star of Wonder,” “Festival Gloria,” and the “First Noel” among others. We’re also thrilled to be performing a co-commissioned piece by Norway-to-New York transplant Ola Gjeilo called “A New Year’s Carol.” It’s a wonderful piece about the earth’s cyclical death and rebirth as the Wheel of the Year turns, and how all of us grow and change through each cycle.
In Act II, we’re basically going to go back and throw glitter on everything we did in the first act, and gay it all up! There will be elves in red sequins, polka dancers, and chorus members dancing like no one is watching set to music from the Broadway musical Elf, our aforementioned What-if Carols, and a smashing finale of carols like “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,” “Ding, Dong Merrily on High,” and “Go Tell it on the Mountain,” specially arranged for the chorus by our accompanist Chad Weirick. It’s a huge finale to the whole concert that will leave you in the mood to go celebrate the holidays.
Performances of Noel take place Sun. Dec. 14 at 3pm and Fri., Sat., and Sun, Dec. 19-21 at 8pm at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall, 30 Gainsborough St., Boston. Tickets $20-$60. Visit www.bgmc.org or call 617-542-SING (7464).
Reuben Reynolds III is the music director of the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus.
